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I would bet Americans would eat that right up. Trade in the Chomese letters for some portholes.
I live in NJ but I think people drive way more import nameplates than Domestics except for SUVs though becanuse I think people in NJ drive way more Domestic nameplate SUV's than Japanese nameplate SUV's though. As far as passenger cars go thats where the Japanese and even German nameplates nameplates have it way more over the Domestic nameplates in NJ.
Well Ford's retail sales were up last month but their sales to rental fleet were down so thats why the negative numbers for last month for Ford.
Well Nissan did have a positive month in which they sold 93K units in May 2007 vs 86K units in May 2006 and I am including both Infinti and Nissan brands as well. I think Nissan's market share is the same as it was last year for the whole year of 2007 so far.
Honda sales are up this year(2007) vs (2006)but Ford is the big loser so far this year sales numbers for the whole year in 2007.
"Impala did outsell Accord last month by several thousand units, that is significant in my book."
Yeah but how many Impala's go to rentals because 98% of Accords are sold to retail customers.
"I dont know why edmunds bothers to try and predict sales in advance every month, as you said they are often wrong. Its kind of pointless to try and guess montly stats a week before they are published."
Edmunds was way below what was forcasted for GM and Toyota sales numbers last month. They were nearly right about Ford's and Chrysler's numbers.
Heres example's:
Edmunds forcasted Chrysler will sell 204,000 vehicles in May 2007 and Chrysler actually sold 199,000 so Edmunds was pretty close there.
Ford edmunds forcasted 240,000 would sell vehicles(I don;t know if Edumnds included Volvo, Jaguar, and Land Rover but I didn;t.) Ford which I only included Mercury and Lincoln actually sold 243,000 cars minus the Foreign Subsidaries of Volvo, Jaguar, and Land Rover.
Edmunds forcasted Toyota would sell 244,000 vehicles but Toyota actually sold 269,000 vehicles.
Edmunds Forcasted GM would sell 340,000 vehicles but GM actually sold 368K vehicles minus foreign subsidaries.
Loren
Onstar Phone Evaluation
This works and works well... I made a phone call from my "PHONE TRUCK" It muted the XM and had "FM" quality sound. No offence to the actress that recorded the voice response but......
If you want to give your self a chuckle... call your cell phone from the truck phone... pick up your cell phone and say "Hello"....... LOL... I did.
I haven't saved my voice phone book yet but after I get accustom to "THE VOICE" This system will serve me very well.
I have already talked to Verizon and now all I need is my trucks telephone number from the system... give it to Verizon... they will issue me new local number on my Present verizon account.
If Im not mistaken... Adding a second phone or truck to your account just cost you $9.95 per month and the Truck or phone shares the minutes with your "Present" account.
In Conclustion: This is the facts mixed with my opinion... You should draw your own conclustions.
gregC
What net pay increases are you talking about? Wagoner took a 42% pay cut from 2005.
Wagoner's salary was 42 percent less than the $2.2 million he got for 2005, because of a 50 percent pay cut he agreed to in February last year. GM said today that Wagoner's salary for this year will be $1.65 million, restoring half of the cut.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aDcD4xPNVDlQ&refer=news
The net "pay increases" you are talking about is stock options. No money to be made there unless the stock goes up in 3 years. Yes if the stock doubles he could make ~$8,000,000 on the stock options he holds.
GM exec pay is probably about the lowest in the nation for large companies. The CEO barely breaks $2 million in take home (before taxes). That is only about 20 times what the engineers make in the company and there are a heck of a lot of them at GM and at all car companies. In fact the exec pay structure has very little to do with the profit at GM.
Because they are building more highly optioned cars and many more trucks which are more complicated to build than cars.
And GM came in a virtual tie with Toyota on overall productivity.
That is only about 20 times what the engineers make in the company
So they make twenty times what the engineers make? Barely breaking 2 million? Oh, the hardship! Incidentally, you forgot bonuses.
The executive structure at MOST companies has very little to do with profit, it's not just GM. GM has lost ground worldwide to Toyota since 2005, and yet Wagoner got a pay raise? Will his pay continue to rise as sales fall and/or Toyota takes over the #1 spot? I'll be very interested in finding out the answer.
Admittedly, this is a problem in many companies, not just GM. Doesn't mean it isn't part of the problem at GM too.
2) His salary could be twenty thousand per year or twenty million a year, it would not make any meaniful difference to company earning per share / net profits, as we are talking billions lost or gained. This is a rather large company, as you may have noticed.
3) Toyota being #1, #2, or #3 in the world is not the issue here, but rather the net profit and stability of GM. If your ship is full of holes, would you only worry about winning the battle, or more about plugging the wholes so you may fight another day.
Others may see it differently, but thats my opinion.
Loren
Will the new standards require more than say 30 MPG on hwy? Just how hard is this going to hit the car industry. Don't you think there will be a last minute compromise made on this issue anyway?
Loren
If they can't meet fuel economy standards with it (And GM has in fact had this problem...always has) then they're better off giving up the Camaro. An I4 rear-drive coupe isn't a bad idea at all for Chevy, making it the new Camaro/TransAm will anger quite a number of people.
Loren
P.S. You are however correct, they would be moaning and growning about the lack of a big block engine, no matter how well the car performed
Its hard to believe to you (no surprise) but not to anyone that has been paying attention. The Accord's sales have been falling for several years in a row, the Impala has been gaining steam since the redesign in 2005. Instead of looking for hidden reasons, lets just assume the Impala is popular amongst customers and Chevy has designed something that people want. This is the first month that Impala has outsold Impala but Impala's sales have been going up for a while now, they sold about 30k cars in April so this isnt some crazy figure that came out of thin air.
dont know, dont care. This is ALWAYS the excuse when any domestic vehicle does well. I would assume 20%-25% of Impalas are fleet sales but other people here already explained that government and corporate fleet sales arent bad, just daily rentals. The Impala covers a lot of ground and meets the needs of a lot of people and organizations. Sorry, but even if we give due credit to fleet sales 35K monthly sales is a lot, especially for a domestic. Out of all the cars in the industry, only two sold more than the Impala last month. At the end of the year if the Impala comes in #2 to Camry (actually Corolla will be #2 at this rate) people arent going to say "well it was only #2 because it had more fleet sales than accord". No one breaks down camry sales at the end of the year and subtracts Solaras or rental sales, they just say "The camry was the best selling car in America, again". Period.
The executive structure at MOST companies has very little to do with profit, it's not just GM. GM has lost ground worldwide to Toyota since 2005, and yet Wagoner got a pay raise? Will his pay continue to rise as sales fall and/or Toyota takes over the #1 spot? I'll be very interested in finding out the answer.
2 million is not much money anymore. Yes the 10 million sounds sweet but the 8 million is only good if he gets the stock to go up and that will probably require he bring back the company to profitability and more.
GM has been losing ground to Toyota for more than 20 years.
I did not forget bonus's, that was included in hte $2 million. the execs took a 42% pay cut for 2006. For 2007 they got some of the cut back. It was in the article.
Where did you hear this? Was news a few months ago when the government started discussing raising the MPG but that was just a hold to revise the program plan. They have probably added smaller more fuel efficient engines to the program and put in budget to reduce weight and increase MPG.
Never heard about the Camaro being stopped though. Could you list a link?
See chart 13.
http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/IROL/84/84530/presentations/gm_080906LaNeve.pdf
I gotta be more alert. -Loren
If you are saying fleet sales or not, it is all the same, then the bottom line is what we are talking about. That be net profit, on a good looking balance sheet.
Loren
Loren
So honestly, that shouldn't be too hard of a target to hit with a newer base Camaro. IIRC, the 1999-04 Mustang would do 0-60 in about 7 seconds just with the tired old 3.8 V-6 and an automatic.
Loren
That's not "terrible" by any means. 34,000 cars in May is a lot of cars - an enormous number in fact. Mazda, for instance, sells about 50,000 cars in the U.K. in a YEAR. (roughly 300K total in Europe).
GM may not be the 2000lb gorilla it once was, but a went-on-a-diet-1800lb gorilla can still do some pretty serious things.
for the longest time I thought mazda would make a 4 seat hardtop coupe using the miata platform to spread the r&d costs
I was amazed to find that the size of gen. one and two are pretty close. Sure looks like the second gen. is wider, and perhaps longer. Never drove the first gen. and but briefly drove a second generation, and liked the steering and decent handling. Wonder if within those years the sports car, handling wise, was not the Camaro/Firebird more so than the Corvette?
Loren
Is there just no demand for cars like the 240SX these days?
The auto world was perhaps more fun back when. Recall such odd things like the Opel GT, which looked exactly like a baby Corvette in steel! Never again a Corvair, I guess, though the last few years actually looked darn interesting. Yea, you are probably all too correct about having to share platforms. Nissan platforms are all shared - 350Z is too, is it not!
If RWD becomes all the rage again, maybe the inexpensive sports cars return. Recall a time of the 240Z and RX-7 when it only cost you a few extra bucks to experience a great little sports car? And, for their time, pretty civilized. I recall seeing a pull out choke on a Datsun roadster and thinking this is pretty old school. But they worked. Those Fairlady cars got lot of attention and made the MGs look old and tired. Alas, the last laugh was on those that rusted first, and the MGs lived on. When taken care of, the Datsuns roadsters still look sharp today, as do the Z cars. Surprised that more 280ZX cars are not around today. Rust, parts, or people just did not care to repair them, seeing the 240-280Z as the only popular years to collect or hold on to???
Loren
Very true!!! Today, all people want in volume are sedans, sports coupes are the exception, not the rule. Funny though, when looking at a classic car, the same people that want modern sedans shun the classic sedan as an inexpensive alternative to the coupes and convertibles. I mean, what's the difference between a '68 Olds 98 coupe or sedan? Not all THAT much, other than 2 extra doors.
Some cars just look best with two doors. Now the Saturn Aura may look strange with two doors. My old Opel Mante Rallye looked the part of a sport coupe, and the two doors was a must. You are right and classic say Caddy with four doors should be sought after as much as those coupes, I would think and may be the bargain. I always thought the AMX and the Dodge Challengers / Baracudas and the like were not bringing money like they should. Ah, but after the Chrysler Hemi got to be the in thing again with the new 300, now look at Chryslers and the price. AMX and even Javalins should bring more - some day.
I see loads of Camaros too. Recall when it was only the Mustangs at shows. Seemed like there were too many. Not knocking the original pony car, just saying that they became too common or plentiful in shows. Started to look only for a Shelby or something rarer. Seeing more people restoring Nova these days. The '57 Impala got overplayed. Seeing less at shows now.
Now let's see a gorgeous NEW car or two or three from GM which will be a on show some twenty years from now, when we grow up. :P
Gosh, Body by Fisher was such a great quality name / product.
Loren
Now, if you're on a budget, look at the price gap. While the GM A bodies are hot all around, a driveable '70 sedan is $2500-4000, while an LS-6 convertible will fetch in excess of $100,000. Now granted, a 454 wasn't available in a sedan. If you look at the Caprice, a 454 WAS available in the coupes, conv. estate wagon, and sedan. Needless to say, the last two can be had at a SUBSTANTIAL discount over the first two.
New Malibu - my take a nicer looking interior than the Camry. An exterior which is more conservative. An evolutionary look to the Malibu. Not the knock-out of late 60's Camry in this case is more radical in style, and the New Malibu the more conservative. It is nice enough, yet it truly is the conservative one of the two.
New CTS - without seeing one in the metal, instead of a pic, the CTS is hard to rate. I like the current funky looking, space age, arts & science look. The new car will undoubtedly improve on the interior look and feel for richness. The exterior appears to be appealing, while one hopes they did not take the edginess out of the car. It is a wait and see.
Pontiac G8 - From the photos, it looks like the side profile of the Malibu, with the old signature front of a typical Pontiac. The RWD sounds interesting and fresh, the look not.
Saturn Vue - Rate it most improved, this JV player is ready for the Varsity Team. Saturn is moving forward as it finally has some product. It is amazing that any dealerships survived the long drought.
Astra - Should help Saturn, GM and perhaps all hatchbacks, if they can promote this car as hip and functional for the young buyers, and all in need of flexible transportation which has the gas mileage need today, good looks, easy to drive in the city and room with the seat down for stuff - lots of stuff. One hope here is for a uplifting of the image of a hatchback from econo car to mainstream use car for those with and without spare change in pocket. Adding fast engines, and offering upgrades and promoting the car a Euro like, whatever it means to you and I, is so important. The image needs to start as one of a car for everyone, male and female. This should be so much better than an Ion. Well, I hope it is. GM did a pretty good job with the Cobalt in getting out there to young people for car events. Next up is to make a good impression with the Astra, power and bling or image.
Personally, not saying I am right, I would import Opels as Opels, but that's just me. Perhaps the Saturn name on this Astra will indeed help the Aura more than if Saturn was something like Saturn World sales, which really what it seems heading to. Or will the Astra be built in a USA plant or Mexico plant some day?
Camaro - Handsome car - too wide, with too tall doors, but looks good on the showroom floor of the auto shows world wide. Could be a big selling car, if we ever see it. I would never buy a car nearly 80" wide, nor do I long to ever drive a large SUV or motor home...... well maybe a motor home some day, when I get old.
Loren
That is what it would have taken to save the Camaro/Firebird back then but that would have meant an all new architecture and the decision was not to spend it on a pretty much dieing market. That segment is back again and unfortunately GM is very late to the party.
There was the Opel/Holden RWD platform to work with, but GM was far too balkanized in those days to seriously consider it, much less make it work.
consider it, much less make it work.
Absolutely correct. Virtually all GM US employees had no idea what was going on at the other countries, and I would say that would be true of the top execs in charge that worked in the US. Completely automonous
Or get a used miata and say to hell with you all.
I just read an article that Ford is 5 years behind GM in going Global and it will take 10 years to get where GM is today. GM has vehicles already in production here for 3 years that were partially developed in other countries (Epsilon, GMDAT).
I'd like to think at the end they'll survive. Not that I have any great love for Ford but it's not good for the US in general for them to fail.
Stay focused on our turnaround in North America.
Continue driving our rapid growth in emerging markets.
Continue to run the business in a globally integrated manner.
Pursue an advanced propulsion energy diversity strategy.
“Energy diversity means that we’ll continue to improve the efficiency of the internal combustion engine, as we have for decades but, importantly, we’re also dramatically intensifying our efforts to displace traditional petroleum-based fuels by building a lot more vehicles that run on alternatives, such as E-85 ethanol,” he said. “We’re also supporting energy diversity by significantly expanding and accelerating our commitment to electrically driven vehicles, like the Chevy Volt concept car.” To read more, see below.
VOLT BATTERY ANNOUNCEMENT . . . Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner announced the next step in bringing the Chevy Volt concept closer to reality at today's stockholders meeting. He said that two advanced battery development contracts to design and test lithium-ion batteries for the Chevy Volt’s E-Flex propulsion system have been awarded. One contract goes to lithium-ion battery supplier Compact Power, Inc., based in Troy, Mich., and the second was awarded to Frankfurt, Germany-based Continental Automotive Systems, a tier one automotive supplier.
"The signing of these battery development contracts is an important next step on the path to bring the Volt closer to reality," said Wagoner. "Given the huge potential that the Volt and its E-Flex system offers to lower oil consumption, lower oil imports and reduce carbon emissions, this is a top priority program for GM."